Catalyst sampling system



Nov. 27, 1956. A. M. HAVEN CATALYST SAMPLING SYSTEM Filed April 30, 1954 IN VEN TOR. Allan N. Haven ATTORNEY CATALYST AM= LNG YTEIVK Allan M. Haven, Texas City, Tern, assignor to The Ameri: can Oil Company, Texas tlity, Ten, a corporation or Texas Application April 39, 1954, Serial No. 426,893

1 Clair (CL 73-421) This invention relates to an apparatus for sampling material in bull: and, more particularly, elates to an improved sampling system where y representative samples finely divided catalyst are obtainable.

. the sampling of bulk materials, such as finely divided catalyst as received in carload lots, it has been the c some insta ces to employ a pipe to collect of the material fro": dilferent areas of the increments are con a nod to form the gross activity and particle size determinations.

Systems of sampling heretofore used require considerble expenditure both physical energy and time. The consisted of driving with a sledge hammer a one inch pipe to the bottom of the catalyst car and then withdrawing the pipe with its core of catalyst sample which is intended to be representative of a vertical cross section of the car. Often it is not possible to drive the sample tube to the bottom of the catalyst car, and even when the tube penetrates the entire mass, the lower portion of the core of catalyst drops out resulting in a nonrepresentative sample.

Accordingly, it is a pr icipal object of my invention "e which permits the taking f the section to be sampled. An-

a samplim system whereby a may be wi .drawn from the any of the sample. A further object 7 provide a sampler which is simple in construction, efficient in operation and relatively inexpensive to man .cturcand maintain.

An additional object is to provide sampling device which is portable and which can be manipulated Without extensive training and supervision or" personnel. These and other objects of my invention will readily appear other object is t truly representativ mass of bull ma to those skilled in the art as the description the invention proceeds.

Briefly, my inve .o prises a method and an apparatus for obtaining a representative sample of a large mass of powdered catalyst, which apparatus includes an outer coring tube and an inner tube of smaller diameter and several inches shorter at its lower end than the outer tube. The outer inn r tubes are tl' -ust into the catalyst mass simultaneously while admitting air. The air supply may be pumped into or drawn from the system,

but in any event, the catalyst is caused to flow upwardly in a dilute phase within the apparatus and discharged into a collecting means.

This method and apparatus assures a re resentative sample from the bulk ly ivided solids by complete p 'ogressive removal to. the core or" solids from the top to the bottom of the solids mass. Likewise, the continuous removal of the core from the coring pipe facilitates te lowering of the pipe.

Further details of the apparatus and mode of operation will be described in connection with embodiments of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic elevation, partly in section, of one embodiment wherein catalyst flow into the sampling tube is induced by vacuum; and

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, illustrating another embodiment of the invention where carrier gas is injected into the sampling apparatus.

Referring to Figure 1, the catalyst coring tube 1.0 comprises a two inch pipe within which is a sample duct 11 comprising a 0.75 inch pipe terminating about two inches above the lower end of the larger pipe 10, which end is provided with a bevel 12. A flexible hose 13 extends between the upper end of the sample duct 11 and the sample reservoir 14 being connected by hose clamps 13a and 13b. A vacuum is applied by line 15 connected to the downstream side of the filter 16 which is in turn in communication with the outlet 17 of the reservoir 14. A plug 18 for removal or" the sample from the reservoir 14 is provided on the bottom thereof.

Vacuum from line 15 is applied to the catalyst transfer duct 11 (successively through the filter 16, reservoir 14 and hose 13) while lowering the coring pipe it and the sample duct 11 into the mass 19. This generates a flow of air into the upper end of the coring pipe 10 which carries the catalyst to the collecting chamber or reservoir 14.

in Figure 2, a further modification of my device is illustrated wherein the coring tube 20 comprises a 0.75 inch pipe about eleven feet long and a catalyst sample duct 21 comprises a 0.25 inch copper tubing. The copper tubing 21 extends to within about three inches of the bevelled bottom end Zita or" the coring tube 29 and a standard air hose'ccupling 22 connects an air supply duct 23 to the tubing 21 via valve 24 and connecting elbow 25. As the coring tube 20 is pushed into the bed 19 to segregate a mass of catalyst, the stream of air entering the tubing 21, and discharged within the coring tube 29, fiuidizes the segregated catalyst and carries it upwardly within the coring tube Eli through the T-connection 26 and transfer hose 27 into the separating and collecting means 23. The hose 27 is connected by a standard air hose coupling Zi a which is fixed to the inlet pipe 29 which enters the cyclone collector 30 tangentially.

The sample collecting means 28 comprises the cyclone separator Ell superposing a reservoir 32 and supported thereabove by legs 33 which rest on the top closure 34 of the reservoir 32. A bag filter 35, which may be of the disposable paper vacuum-cleaner type, is connected to the gas outlet line 36 which extends downwardly within cyclone separator 3t) below the inlet 29.

The lower halt" of the separator Ell is tapered and its bottom outlet is threaded for connection by union 31 to the cover 34 of the receiver 52. The cover 34 is secured, as by hasps 37, to the receiver 32 and can be removed therefrom, but other means may be used. The exact capacity of the reservoir 32 is not critical, but a volume of about three gallons has been found satisfactory. it is preferable that the reservoir 32 be constructed of an alloy or a non-rusting metal to prevent the formation of corrosion products which would contaminate the sample.

in a typical separator-receiver installation, according to my invention, the cyclone separator 3d comprises a cylinder about one foot high and about six inches in diameter. A one inch pipe comprises the tangential inlet 29 and the bag filter 35 is about six inches in diameter by about six inches in length. The legs 33 may be about one foot high with a 1.5 inch union 31 joining the bottom of the separator 30 to the receiver 32 which may be suitably a five gallon can with a removable cover 34.

To operate the modification of Figure 2, the catalyst coring tube 20 is initially inserted into the catalyst mass 19 a distance of about six inches before applying the lift air from duct 23'by opening valve 24. The lift air should be turned on gradually by controlling the valve 24 and the rate of flow increased until the bag filter 35 becomes inflated. While supplying the lift. air, the coring tube 29 is forced downwardly through the bed 19 by applying pressure to the upper end thereof, preferably while oscillating the pipe 20. Automatic mechanical means may be provided to impart these motions.

The device should travel downward at a substantially constant rate and, after it has gone completely through the catalyst bed 19, the air should be shut olf before withdrawing the coring tube 20. The bag filter 35 should be tapped lightly while the air is off after each portion of the sample has been taken so that the collected sample includes all of the tinercatalyst. and so that the pores of the filter bag 35 do not become plugged with catalyst fines.

To complete the sampling technique, two portions of catalyst are taken from each top hatch of the hopper car which is normally equipped with eight hatches. The volume of the sixteen composite portions or samples amounting to about two gallons should be well mixed before an aliquot is taken for particle size distribution and catalyst activity determinations by systems well known and which form no part of this invention.

Although I have described my invention in terms of specific examples and embodiments thereof which are set forth in some detail, it should be understood that these are by way of illustration only and that the invention is not limited thereto since alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of my foregoing disclosure. Accordingly, it is contemplated that modifications can be made in my described invention without departing from, the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

An apparatus for sampling bulk finely divided solids of wide particle size distribution which comprises in combination a sampling and eductor tube means, means for sealing the upper end of said tube, a iluidizing gas inlet duct extending within said sampling tube through the upper end thereof and terminating within said tube above the lower open end thereof, the said inlet duct being substantially smaller in cross section than said tube whereby a flow passage is provided therebetween, a beveled bottom end on said tube, an outlet from said flow passage through said tube and subjacent to the upper closed end of said tube, valved conduit means communicating with the upper end of said inlet duct through the closed end of said tube, valve means in said conduit for controlling the downward flow of gas through said inlet duct, solids separater and receiver means, a flexible hose connection between said outlet from said tube and said separator and receiver means, said separator and receiver means comprising a cyclone separator having a tangentially arranged inlet into which said hose connection discharges, a gas outlet from said cyclone separator, a bag filter superposing said separator and connected to the said gas outlet exteriorly of the separator, receiver means subjacent to said cyclone separator, removable cover means on said receiver means, stand means on said cover means for removably supporting said cyclone separator means, threaded coupling means on the lower end of said cyclone separator means removably connecting said separator means to said cover of said receiver means, and hasp means securing said cover to said receiver means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,994,884 Chew Mar. 19, 1935 2,167,393 Muncy July 25, 1939 2,353,828 Hyde July 18, 1944 

